Dec 16, 2020
MARBLEHEAD, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) A Marblehead police officer has resigned after being placed on leave for allegedly scratching a swastika into another officer s personal vehicle.
Marblehead Police Chief Robert Picariello said former police officer Timothy Tufts resigned from the department Wednesday as a result of the incident, which happened last year and has been under investigation for about a month. In mid-November, I was made aware of an incident involving a Marblehead Police officer in which they allegedly scratched a swastika into the paint of another officer s personal vehicle, Picariello said. I immediately began to gather the facts of the incident, and the officer was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation, consistent with the policies and procedures of the department.
I am dismayed and deeply disturbed, Picariello said. Today, there is no room for excuses of ignorance. The swastika is a symbol of hate and genocide, and we must speak up against acts of hate and hate speech whenever and wherever we encounter it. We were deeply disappointed to learn of this incident, which is both a direct contradiction of the spirit of inclusion we hold dear in our community, and a violation of the high standards to which we hold our law enforcement officers here in Marblehead, the town s Board of Selectmen said in a statement.
Picariello said he has been in contact with the Anti-Defamation League of New England to seek out training programs and resources for every member of the Marblehead Police Department. He added that an outside investigator would be retained.